A Strange Thing Happened Along Our Evolution as a Species….
If you’re looking for the single oddest quirk of humankind, you can’t throw out the fact that, year after year, as the sea ice melts, and another high temperature record is broken, large swaths of the U.S.population shrug their shoulders with apathy, defying the vast majority of climate scientists and ridiculing the rest of us who care about the future of our civilization.
Yes, 2016 was the hottest year on record, hotter than 2015, which was hotter than 2014, etc. But the U.S. president-elect believes climate change is a hoax, and most of his supporters do as well. As you look at the chart here, ask yourself how this can possibly be.
Craig,
It’s not only ” vast swathes” US citizens who are apathetic about climate change.
In truth while some sections of the media, scientists and activists the subject of climate change remains of immense interest, the general public has become inured to alarmist pronouncements and simply switched off.
The general public has wearied of hysteria and alarmist misinformation. Unfortunately this is due to serious science becoming confused with speculative propaganda and fantasies.
Joe Public doesn’t study in depth scientific journals’, he derives his information from the popular media.
Joe Public was deeply moved by the plight of a much used image of starving polar bears on icebergs. When he learns the image is a fake,not only are polar bear populations not decreasing, but number have dramatically increased and that far from being stranded from a distant shore, polar bears can swim hundreds of miles, he feels he’s being manipulated.
That’s the trouble with sensationalizing complex scientific information. Since the general public lacks sufficient scientific knowledge to accurately assess scientific information, the public relies upon the integrity of expert scientists.
Mixing science, political ideology and unqualified advocates into a sort of religious crusade, results in the science becoming confused with all sorts of totally extraneous issues. As a result, Joe Public loses faith and interest in the whole issue.
The result is not only apathy, but a distrust of scientific integrity. Too many “climate change scientists” turn out to be simply unqualified activist advocates, while others becomes discredited for allegiances to political/ideological advocacy.
Joe Public’s image of the independent, objective, non-political noble scientist serving the best interests of humanity, some one who deserved respect, become tarnished when confused by all the hyperbole involved in CC/GW politics.
Joe Public still buys and pays a premium for beach side land, Island resort developments are booming, etc.
Four years ago I predicted that the Paris Conference would be the Apex of popular interest in CC/GW. Sadly my prediction proved accurate. A general ennui has set in with the general public and even a backlash reaction to the overload of politically based climate advocacy from alarmist extremists.
Joe Public’s grown weary of being treated with contempt and lectured by self-righteous, sanctimonious advocates, demanding he pays for their barking mad schemes and delusions.
Craig, raging against the “stupidity’ or “apathy” of the general public, or even taking comfort from dubious opinion polls showing support by contrived means, is counter-productive.
A new approach is needed ! A more objective, inclusive approach, emphasizing science over politics may rekindle interest. Yelling louder, and even more abusively, will not prove productive.